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Serve with CDF Freedom Schools®

In close collaboration with the sponsor partner executive directors, project directors will assist in securing space for the site. Sponsor Organizations operating more than one CDF Freedom Schools site will have at least one project director who coordinates flow of the resources, facilitates activities among the local sponsor and program sites, and communicates with CDF. The project director should have strong leadership skills with empathy for children and their parents. He or she should be familiar with the culture and dynamics of the community, committed to the goals of the CDF Freedom Schools program, and able to work collaboratively with all program constituents.

The site coordinator should be experienced in working with large groups of children and in partnerships with young adults. He or she must be responsible, energetic, able to think on his or her feet, well-organized, and a strong role model. He or she may have worked in the past as a CDF Freedom Schools servant leader intern or in a similar position. The site coordinator should have strong leadership skills with empathy for children and their parents. He or she should be familiar with the culture and dynamics of the community, committed to the goals of the CDF Freedom Schools program, and able to work collaboratively with all program constituents.

Responsibilities

Manage the day-to-day activities of the site and ensure servant leader interns have necessary materials and supplies for the classroom and students.

Maintain team spirit among site staff and conduct debrief sessions at the end of each day. During the debrief sessions, provide technical assistance and feedback to the servant leader interns on all aspects of their work.

Design and coordinate parent workshops and other parental involvement initiatives, or assist the parent coordinator or other designee.

Work with the project director to keep the lines of communication open between parents, staff, and sponsor organizations.

Ensure responsible management of servant leader interns employed by his/her local program site while at CDF Freedom Schools National Training in June.

Attend Orientation and Training if new to the site coordinator position and the National Training.

Qualifications

Must be at least 21 years of age and have completed at least one year of college

Experience managing large groups of children, college-age young people, and parents

Solid commitment to children’s advocacy and enthusiasm for the CDF Freedom Schools program

Ability to motivate others and work as part of an intergenerational team

Strong appreciation and understanding of individual cultural history and the willingness to be open and respectful of all cultures

Willingness to strive for excellence in all areas and ability to think critically and analytically

Exhibit positive behavior and attitude; model a mature and professional demeanor; possess excellent written and verbal skills

Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to the ethics of good character, humility, and servant leadership

Current voter registration (as eligible by law)

Authorization for background check for criminal and child protective findings

College-age young people and recent college graduates play a key role in the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program as servant leader interns. CDF Freedom Schools servant leader interns are responsible for the front-line care and nurturing of the children. Using the Integrated Reading Curriculum, they serve as facilitators in the classroom and as leaders of parent workshops and community outreach activities.

Responsibilities

Deliver the Integrated Reading Curriculum to a class of no more than ten students for 6–8 weeks during the summer months, according to the standards developed by the Children's Defense Fund and the local program sponsor.

Set up and break down his/her classroom space, including securing and organizing the appropriate materials.

Collaborate with staff to establish and maintain a supportive and structured environment for the children entrusted to their care.

Serve as a Harambee! leader each day of program operation.

Serve as a leader of afternoon activities and other special events; chaperone field trips.

Participate fully in the National Training. (1st, 2nd and 3rd year servant leader interns only).

Qualifications

Must be at least 19-30 years of age, have completed at least one year of college, and have plans to complete the college degree

Maintain or have graduated with at least a 3.0 GPA

Experience managing large groups of children, college-age young people, and parents

Solid commitment to children’s advocacy and enthusiasm for the CDF Freedom Schools program

Ability to motivate others and work as part of an intergenerational team

Strong appreciation and understanding of individual cultural history and the willingness to be open and respectful of all cultures

Willingness to strive for excellence in all areas and ability to think critically and analytically

Exhibit positive behavior and attitude; model a mature and professional demeanor; possess excellent written and verbal skills

Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to the ethics of good character, humility, and servant leadership

Current voter registration (as eligible by law)

Authorization for background check for criminal and child protective findings

Now accepting Ella Baker Trainer applications for the 2017 service year. Applications must be completed and submitted by Monday, August 15, 2016.Apply Now.

An Ella Baker Trainer is a Servant Leader selected by the CDF Freedom Schools national staff to assist in training local CDF Freedom Schools staff. This position reports to the CDF Freedom Schools Ella Baker Trainer Coordinator.

Nature and Scope

The CDF Freedom Schools program is a literacy-rich summer and after-school program developed to serve children in communities where quality academic enrichment programming is rare, cost-prohibitive or non-existent. The CDF Freedom Schools program features a model Integrated Reading Curriculum (IRC) for reading enrichment, youth leadership development, cultural enrichment, parent empowerment, civic engagement, and social action. In partnership with schools, churches, community-based organizations, and colleges and universities, through the CDF Freedom Schools, the Children's Defense Fund boosts children’s motivation to read and generates positive attitudes towards learning, while connecting the needs of children and families to the resources of the community. A key goal of the CDF Freedom Schools program is leadership development: identifying, training, nurturing, linking, mobilizing and empowering a new generation of effective, young servant leaders on behalf of children. CDF Freedom Schools programs are staffed primarily by college-aged young adults who are committed to active lives of leadership and service for children. The CDF Freedom Schools program supports CDF’s Leave No Child Behind®mission to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.

Responsibilities

Working under the supervision of the Ella Baker Trainer Coordinator, an Ella Baker Trainer will:

Attend and carry out assigned duties for the required CDF Freedom Schools trainings and meetings scheduled from January to December.

Train servant leader interns and local CDF Freedom Schools staff on the delivery of the Integrated Reading Curriculum and other key components of the CDF Freedom School program.

Collaborate with the national CDF Freedom Schools staff to establish, maintain, and facilitate supportive and structured training environments for local CDF Freedom Schools sites.

Facilitate team-building activities and workshops for servant leader interns and site coordinators/site administration from local CDF Freedom Schools sites.

Serve as an extension of the CDF Freedom Schools national staff and an advocate for the Leave No Child Behind movement.

Participate in Children's Defense Fund events when necessary.

Complete other duties assigned as requested by the national CDF Freedom Schools staff

This position involves some weekend travel and a two-week stay in June for the CDF Freedom Schools meetings and trainings.

Qualifications

Matriculate at a college or university OR be a college graduate

Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher

Experience as a servant leader intern at a CDF Freedom Schools site (two years or more experience is preferred; at least one year of service as a servant leader intern in addition to another year of service as a site coordinator or project director is acceptable)

Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to the character, humility and servant leadership ethics of Ella Baker

Ability to facilitate large group sessions and workshops

A solid commitment to children’s advocacy and social justice

Critical/analytical and creative thinker

Responsible behavior and positive attitude

Ability to work with the CDF FreedomSchools team in a collaborative manner